City Manager Steven Falk picks the city's replacement for outgoing police chief Mike Hubbard. By J.D. O'Connor, Patch Staff | Mar 16, 2012 4:23 am ET | Updated Mar 16, 2012 4:25 am ET
Lafayette City Manager Steven Falk Thursday announced that Contra Costa County Sheriff's Lieutenant Eric Christensen will replace retiring chief Mike Hubbard, who leaves at the end of this month.
In his announcement, Falk made note of Christensen's qualifications, which include the fact that he:
Holds a BS in Criminal Justice Administration from Cal State Hayward
Spent three years in the U.S. Army, and six in the Army Reserve
Joined the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office in 1991, and has twenty years of local law enforcement experience including:
Patrol deputy and detective for the San Ramon Police Department
Supervising sergeant for the Oakley Police Department
Managed the Sheriff's Department Emergency Services Support Unit for three years
Served at the rank of Lieutenant for five years.
During his career, Lt. Christensen has won several Sheriff's Office awards, including the:
Custody Services Officer of the Year (1997)
Patrol Division Deputy of the Year (1999)
"With his extensive background in local law enforcement in suburban communities, Lt. Christensen is well-qualified to serve Lafayette," Falk wrote. "Given our potential for catastrophic wildland fires, mudslides, earthquakes, and
flooding, Christensen's experience in the Emergency Services Support Unit should be valuable to the community."
Lt. Christensen will succeed Lt. Michael Hubbard, effective March 29.
Contra Costa Narcotics Enforcement Taskforce (CNET)
A murder victim has been identified by the Contra Costa County coroner’s office today as 19-year-old Antioch resident Kadeem Hodge, who was shot and killed early Sunday morning in his hometown, police said.
An Antioch resident with the same name was arrested a day earlier for allegedly shoplifting at the Sunvalley Shopping Center in Concord, but Concord police did not immediately confirm whether it is the same person, however, friends of the victim have confirmed he is the same man.
Antioch police found Hodge on Empire Mine Road at 2:27 a.m. Sunday with what appeared to be gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead where police found him.
Concord police on Saturday were patrolling the Sunvalley Shopping Center when shoppers alerted them to an alleged shoplifting case.
Witnesses provided a description of the suspect vehicle, which police found quickly as the vehicle entered the highway.
Officers pulled the vehicle over and found stolen merchandise from several stores.
Police said besides Hodge, they also arrested Tiana Mayberry of Antioch.
Hodge and Mayberry were arrested on suspicion of shoplifting, conspiracy and possessing burglary tools.
Arrested and killed in one day? Didn’t even spend one day in jail? Good job California.
Chicken LittleDecember 4, 2017 at 3:38 PM
Prop 47 cost him his life.
Oh boy...December 4, 2017 at 3:39 PM
I see a lawsuit coming from his family. This will somehow be the police’s fault for releasing him back into the public.
CellophaneDecember 4, 2017 at 3:43 PM
Arrested one day, back on the street the same day, killed the next…
When will the bleeding hearts wake up? I’m not holding my breath…
AnonDecember 4, 2017 at 4:26 PM
Cellophane you are so right and I’m not holding my breath either.
LDecember 4, 2017 at 4:31 PM
Wow, don’t understand people thinking these days….
So he was caught shoplifting, someone didn’t like the fact he didn’t get away with it so they killed him, what a POS!!
Original GDecember 4, 2017 at 4:36 PM
Was reported this makes TEN killings for antioch so far this year.
MaybeDecember 4, 2017 at 4:40 PM
Paul Blart is going vigilante on us.
PonyDecember 4, 2017 at 4:40 PM
Arrested on Saturday, dead at 2:30am Sunday. How do you even make bail that quick. Oh well, saves the county money. Now only if this catch, release, eliminate could become standard procedure.
Always RightDecember 4, 2017 at 5:00 PM
The body count grows as the Democrat war against the poor continues.
In the long term, weak laws and poor enforcement hurt the poor the most. This young man would be alive today if we had elected a Republican governor or had a Republican legislature.
JDDecember 9, 2017 at 3:59 PM
So, he wouldn’t have enemies based off an election?!?
In The OzoneDecember 4, 2017 at 5:02 PM
Perhaps Mr.Hodge had one of those off-street “Pay Day Loans” come due, And the botched Sunvalley heist was an attempt to reconcile that debt. Maybe Claycord / Antioch police can provide some insight as this evolves…
LambieDecember 4, 2017 at 5:11 PM
He was released hours after being arrested? Unbelievable.
Mr BigDecember 4, 2017 at 5:23 PM
Aw, too bad.
Fed upDecember 4, 2017 at 5:24 PM
The new “bring your own bag” law is really working (for thieves).
AmyDecember 4, 2017 at 5:32 PM
“Live by the sword, die by the sword “.
JDDecember 9, 2017 at 4:00 PM
What sword are you claiming he lived by? Are you saying stealing is a crime people should die for?
FredDecember 4, 2017 at 6:51 PM
Lambie-It’s called proposition 47-no one goes to jail-deal with it
Your liberal friends voted for it
Fritzhugh LudlowDecember 4, 2017 at 6:59 PM
…….about 2002 Empire Mine Road was known as “The Shadow Lands” due to Ghosts and other Supernatural events….It was also gated in later years so the involved subjects are also guilty of trespassing.
JeffDecember 4, 2017 at 7:40 PM
Wonder what happens to people like this? I see he went to st Ignacius for 5-8th grade, so someone had to love him to pay that much money for his education. Crazy.
AccDecember 4, 2017 at 7:48 PM
@Pony, haven’t you heard? Bail is racist
SmileWCDecember 4, 2017 at 8:32 PM
Where are the parents? Son, you were arrested for shoplifting today – no, you can’t go out tonight!
At @ 2:00 a.m., son, where are you? – You need to be home in bed, it’s late
Yes, we;re talking about a 19 year old, I have one too – they are accountable if they are living at home!
JDDecember 9, 2017 at 4:04 PM
19 year olds make their own decisions. Do you think someone on the street at 2 in the morning follows directions? If your teen found a way outside at that time and was murdered that you’d be accountable?
Dr. JellyfingerDecember 4, 2017 at 9:37 PM
Geez! …….. Lavar Ball said it was no big deal.
MeCrazyWomanDecember 4, 2017 at 10:27 PM
My first reaction doesn’t jive with any of these comments. My thoughts are that this is so sad. I don’t like crime but we are talking about someone’s life. It could be your kid that messes up.
ElwoodDecember 4, 2017 at 10:59 PM
Kadeem definitely did not have a good weekend!
titaDecember 5, 2017 at 1:08 AM
Only one life What will you do with the time you have? Where will you spend eternity? No “do overs”…Such a waste…Apparently stealing was easier than working..If his parents could afford a good education they probably could afford his Bail…Sometimes its better to let the kid experience some Jail and hopefully it will scare them straight…
JDDecember 9, 2017 at 4:06 PM
He was cited and released.
Sign from AboveDecember 5, 2017 at 7:45 AM
@ Pony
He was most likely out before the officer left the jail! Welcome to California! This is how the voters want it!
Sign from AboveDecember 5, 2017 at 7:51 AM
@ MeCrazyWoman
This “kid” didn’t just mess up. Given the fact that he was arrested just hours before “should” show you that this was more of a pattern. The criminal/thug life can be dangerous. All of our life decisions have consequences. He made his choice on what direction he wanted to go.
G.December 5, 2017 at 8:28 AM
Wow, it’s really surprising what the anonymity of the Internet has done to our community. I will pray for each and everyone of you who have fallen off of the path, to be led into such hateful and judgemental thoughts.
Toxic emotions spread like wildfire, I implore you to get a handle on it before it’s too late. Bless you all.
Kyle HDecember 5, 2017 at 9:38 AM
We use to party out on that road 15 years ago and now sec.8 made it all bad.
My poor hometown.
anonDecember 5, 2017 at 10:18 AM
“I see he went to st Ignacius for 5-8th grade, so someone had to love him to pay that much money for his education. ”
total waste of good money
JDDecember 9, 2017 at 4:08 PM
Says you. What if his soul was saved over those years?
MichaelDecember 5, 2017 at 1:28 PM
Young life tragically cut short? Great time to dust off some prejudices and stereotypes and drag the poor boy through the mud.
Rollo TomasiDecember 5, 2017 at 5:54 PM
@ MeCrazyWoman:
“Messing up” is forgetting a homework assignment, or failing to put the garbage cans back in the yard, or getting ticketed for rolling through a stop sign. This scumbag committed a CRIME. Your attitude is unfortunately reflective of our elected state representatives.
hmmmmDecember 8, 2017 at 8:24 AM
@L
Conjecture much?
Where in the article did it say the murder was committed by those who tried catching him for shoplifting?
DANVILLE — For nearly a month, classmates suspected that San Ramon Valley High School freshman Benjamin Curry killed himself, opinions shared by local media. But an autopsy report, obtained exclusively by this news agency Tuesday, determined that the teenager died of an accidental drowning while attending swim class.
Now the question is how it could have happened.
Video of the pool area as class ended showed the 15-year-old Danville resident going under the water, and other students swimming to the edge of the pool and getting out and leaving the facility, according to the autopsy report. It wasn’t until an hour later, when a new swim class entered the area, that Curry’s body was spotted at the bottom of the pool.
The fact that the school did not act strongly to counteract the rumors that their son committed suicide led Curry’s family to hire attorney Andy Schwartz. The district, he says, let the incorrect story of a suicide swirl for weeks despite the immediate knowledge of surveillance footage capturing the accident and the context of Curry participating in his normally scheduled swim class when the accident happened.
“Class was dismissed without him and the teacher in charge of the class left Benjamin behind. The school knew that and didn’t make the effort to correct the false narrative that they knew was out there,” said Schwartz, adding that Curry knew how to swim. “He was found in his bathing suit. He went swimming. He didn’t commit suicide.”
San Ramon Valley Unified School District spokeswoman Elizabeth Graswich said they could not comment on an active police investigation and directed questions to Danville police or coroner officials.
“Our thoughts continue to be with the student’s family and loved ones, as well as our students and staff,” she said.
The 16-page Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office autopsy and toxicology report provides the clearest picture yet of what happened that May 8 afternoon on the Danville campus, and it contradicts media reports where students speculated on camera that Curry may have intentionally drowned himself because he had tried to kill himself before.
The freshman, wearing a black swimsuit, as noted by forensic pathologist Dr. Arnold Josselson, attended his normal fourth period physical education swimming class from 11:40 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Danville Police school resource officer Kyle Rhoton told a coroner’s deputy what happened next based on surveillance footage of the pool that he watched just hours after the boy’s death.
Rhoton reported seeing Curry in the pool with “multiple” other students at the end of class around 12:30 p.m.
“He observed the decedent submerge and not surface. It did not appear any other students were involved with the decedent going under water,” the report said. “Due to camera angles, it was unclear if the decedent remained under the surface of the water or if he surfaced in another area of the pool.”
As class ended, other students were seen swimming to the edge of the pool and leaving the pool area, but due to camera angles, it was unclear if Curry left the pool or if he remained in the pool, the coroner’s deputy wrote. The video showed no more activity until 1:40 p.m. when the fifth period swim class arrived after the lunch break, Schwartz said.
About 10 minutes after the start of the swim session, some students observed their classmate underwater and alerted a different P.E. teacher who jumped into the pool and removed Curry with help from students, according to the report.
An excerpt from a Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office autopsy report shows investigators do not believe Benjamin Curry killed himself.
That teacher alerted staff and began CPR. Rhoton was notified via radio at 1:51 p.m., and assisted with life-saving measures until emergency crews arrived, the report said. Curry was taken to Kaiser hospital in Walnut Creek, where he was declared dead.
The toxicology report found “therapeutic levels” of antidepressants and a trace amount of marijuana in Curry’s system, but investigators did not indicate either played any role in his death.
The report also indicated Curry had a history of depression and anxiety, and a family member told investigators he had “suicidal ideations,” but in the end they found no evidence Curry tried to kill himself.
“Although the decedent suffered from depression, there is no indication the decedent intended to drown himself,” the coroner concluded.
“He was a popular young man,” Schwartz said. “You read in media reports that he was bullied, but it doesn’t appear to be the case.”
On the day of the accident, San Ramon Valley High principal Jason Krolikowski told the East Bay Times the public should not speculate about a cause before a thorough investigation could be completed.
“I know there are a lot of rumors and students asking questions,” he said at the time. “It is important that we continue to discourage the spreading of rumors and give Danville police time to complete their investigation.”
In media reports in the days after Curry’s death, classmates speculated that he killed himself due to struggles with mental illness and bullying. Schwartz said that perception has continued over the last month and devastated the family.
“It just adds to their pain,” he said. “It’s your worst nightmare as a parent.”
One student told the East Bay Times that he had seen Curry in the locker right before class started, happy and laughing.
“This is an unspeakable tragedy,” Schwartz said. “He was a wonderful young man.”
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
Fair Use and Repurposed Formatting
By Pete Bennett
The re-posting of articles sole purpose is to set in stone what was stated. The added elements are for navigation, validation and correlating to related incidents. Mr. Bennett connections to these incidents parallel his history of the untoward connection to police corruption and the conviction of the District Attorney.
Borrowed from another blogger - links lead here zagria.blogspot.com 18 August 2013
Emmon Bodfish (1943 – 1999) druid, plumber, investment advisorOriginally from Ohio, Emmon Bodfish was active in the Reformed Druids of North America. He produced the Druid Missal-Any Magazine 1983-1991, some of which was reprinted in A Reformed Druid Anthology, 2nd Edition, Volume 3: The Magazine Volume. At this time he corresponded with trans woman Tadhg MacCrossan, in the period before she wrote The Sacred Cauldron. His wisdom is still quoted on Druid sites.
As his prior identity, Margaret, Bodfish ran a pool maintenance and plumbing business, The Blue Lagoon. Later he worked as an investment advisor. He owned a simple home in the affluent Orinda area outside San Francisco. He also owned a town-house in Marin County. In the late nineties he was apparently isolated and depressed, and occasionally reverted to being a woman.
In June 1999 Emmon was found bludgeoned to death. The next day his son Max Wills was found, an apparent suicide in a Santa Monica hotel room. Max was known to have suffered from long term depression but was reluctant to kill himself while his mother was alive.
Later the police discovered a floor safe containing $60,000 in gold and coins. A drill had been found at the same spot but there was no sign that it was used to pry out the safe. In addition a police investigator apparently contracted Q fever in the Bodfish home.
_____________________________________________________________________________
The murder remains unsolved. Different possibilities have been suggested including transphobia, family involvement, a fustrated robbery and even, based on an entry in his diary, that Emmon contracted his own death.
First Contact: City of Pittsburg mid 1980s'
Former Pittsburg Officer Eric Bergen
Yea I know him from how he pointed his weapon at me. He also
broke into my cabinet shop took thousands in equipment.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
12:17 a.m., June 11, 2003
PITTSBURG – The gun that killed Pittsburg police inspector Ray Giacomelli in
April
is the same weapon his suspected killer fired in a fatal shoot-out with police,
according to ballistics tests.
Contra Costa Sheriff's Lt. Dan Terry said Tuesday the .40-caliber Glock handgun
that
killed Giacomelli was the same weapon used by Earl Foster Jr. during the
firefight
with police in Modesto.
Foster fled there after Giacomelli's slaying in Pittsburg on April 15.
Investigators found Foster at a strip mall pay phone in the Central Valley
city
two days later.
A shootout ensued after Foster began firing at police, Terry said.
Foster died of multiple gunshot wounds; he was hit 22 times, according to an
autopsy
released Tuesday by the Stanislaus County coroner.
Law enforcement officials throughout northern California had launched a massive
manhunt to locate Foster.
The 46-year-old Giacomelli was killed while investigating the homicide of Eric
Louis
Huffman, the brother of Foster's girlfriend who was found slain April 7.
Both Giacomelli and Huffman were shot in the face. Police have said Foster is
the
only suspect in Huffman's slaying.
Lafayette’s new top cop says he was in fifth grade when he
realized he wanted to become a police officer. His inspiration was a
teacher with a dual career in law enforcement.
“He was such a compelling guy, he was the person I wanted to
model myself after,” Christensen, 47, recalled. “Because of that
contact, (I thought it) was an honorable profession.”
Now a 20-year veteran of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s
Office, the respected lieutenant was recently tapped to head Lafayette’s
police department following chief Mike Hubbard’s retirement, announced
in February. Christensen will oversee a staff of 16 sworn officers and
five department employees, and said he’s eager to address the challenges
facing those involved in public safety.
“The biggest thing that affects all of us as police chiefs
or citizens is complacency, and not being ready for what’s around the
next corner,” he said.
Selected from a handful of applicants following interviews
with citizens, lawmakers and fellow officers, Christensen was the right
candidate for Lafayette, said City Manager Steven Falk. He singled out
the lieutenant’s expertise in volunteer management and emergency
preparedness.
“We really are an area that is ripe for some kind of
emergency” Falk said. “It’s good to have another police chief who is
comfortable dealing with those situations.”
Crime Prevention Commission chair Traci Reilly said she too
was impressed by Christensen’s handling of disasters, including the
Walnut Creek pipeline explosion in 2004. Immediately following the
blast, Christensen, then coordinator of the Sheriff’s Emergency Services
Support Unit, helped set up and run a command post that included
emergency personnel and members of the public.
During his five-year assignment with the support unit, he
managed more than 600 volunteers, and was involved in other high-profile
cases, including that of Laci Peterson, the Modesto woman whose husband
was convicted of her murder.
“He’s just a very likable person and incredibly enthusiastic,” Reilly said. “He’s got a lot of energy.”
That energy has propelled Christensen from the start of his
career, which began as a military policeman in the Army. The skills he
picked up while assigned to the Army’s emergency services are still in
practice today, Christensen said.
His first civilian job was with the Contra Costa County
Sheriff’s Department, which provides Lafayette’s police services by
contract. He was assigned to the Martinez Detention Facility, working
there for four years before becoming a field training officer and
putting himself through police school.
After hitting the streets, he realized his goal of becoming a
detective in San Ramon, which is where he won Sheriff’s Officer and
Employee of the Year for 1999. Other awards followed. He joined the
Oakley Police Department and became a supervising sergeant and took
other assignments before being promoted to lieutenant. These days, he’s
running the sheriff’s civil unit in Martinez and training for his new
position.
“I enjoy working to no end,” Christensen said about his busy
schedule, which includes instructing police academy recruits. He
credits his strong work ethic to his Danish immigrant parents and said
he took his first job at age 13.
As for his new job, which some consider a plum assignment
due to Lafayette’s low crime rate, Christensen is both philosophical and
grateful.
“I think that with any assignment you get, it’s what you
make of it,” he said. “Having a community that appreciates it’s law
enforcement officers is not a bad thing.”
Aug-2004
F-250 Truck explodes in flames via Arson, in minutes Motorcycle Unit arrives.
Per officer:
Stated that dispatch received more than ten calls.
911 callers - flames over 100 feet back
Akin: Fireball
The truck FIRE was ARSON
Singed badly underneath
Occupant: Survived
The arson network miscalculated
Gassing the F-250 90 mph was fun but it also saved my life
Protested to responding officer "it was Arson"
San Ramon Fire: Sorry we can't find your fire record
CHP: Four years of calls - nothing but Stonewalling
TRUCK REPAIRS - same day Gregg's Muffler
Apparently Gregg's mechanic was right behind me
Conducted Repairs on said Vehicle
Mechanic was DIRECT WITNESS
BOTH ARE Alamo 1st Mormons
Knows LPD Chief Christianson
Knows Rick Kopf of Fremont Capital Group
The red map marker means it's your jurisdiction and El Cerro Blvd is where Danville Police would enter the freeway, and
SRVFDP
Diablo Road rolls North
Stone Valley Road rolls South
Records? We cleared the files already sorry
Dec-2004 Trailer Accident
A few months later my trailer flipped on Stone Valley Road. I called my Mormon Home Teacher from Alamo 1st Ward who helped get the trailer off the road.
The next morning I came back to fix the hitch to discover the Mormon Elders and the Home Teacher removed my documents.
A tragedy of unanswered questions as in where is the police report?
Quick Facts
School: Las Lomas HS
City: Walnut Creek
Location: Walnut Creek Bypass Channel
MATTHEW MILLER
Searchers on Sunday found the bodies of two Walnut Creek teens who drowned after going rafting in a rain-swollen creek Saturday. Authorities said Matthew Miller, 16, and Gavin Powell, 17, both of Walnut Creek, had been trying to negotiate the water in a two-person inflatable craft. Published in East Bay Times on Feb. 21, 2011
So he was caught shoplifting, someone didn’t like the fact he didn’t get away with it so they killed him, what a POS!!
At @ 2:00 a.m., son, where are you? – You need to be home in bed, it’s late
Yes, we;re talking about a 19 year old, I have one too – they are accountable if they are living at home!
My poor hometown.